Utah cat accidentally shipped in an Amazon return box, found 650 miles from home by warehouse worker

One cat lover has an Amazon warehouse worker to thank for helping to reunite her with her furry friend.

Carrie Clark is a mom of two from the Salt Lake City, Utah, area who recently lost her beloved cat named Galena.

Clark shared on social media with others that her cat disappeared on Wednesday, April 10, from their home.

"We searched every nook and cranny in our home, neighborhood … neighborhoods surrounding us for a week," she posted on Facebook.

With no luck, Clark said she was feeling defeated a week after Galena went missing. 

However, seven days later, on April 17, Clark was stunned to receive a phone call from a veterinarian in California who said she had her lost animal.

Clark told Fox News Digital she didn’t think she "would ever see her again."

"I went into shock and didn’t believe the caller," she said.

To confirm Galena was actually her cat, Clark had to verify her phone number, address and the veterinarian she used for pet care — all of which were pulled from the cat's microchip. 

Clark said that’s when she found out how Galena got to California in the first place.

Galena had jumped into an Amazon return package and was accidentally shipped to a return center warehouse in California.

Amazon night worker Brandy Hunter was notified by another warehouse worker that the animal had been found in a package.

"A live cat was literally the last thing they were expecting to see when they opened the box," she said.

Hunter told Fox News Digital that she immediately took the animal to a vet — where Galena’s microchip was found. 

"Without the microchip and the kindness of Brandy [Hunter], we never would have found her again," Clark wrote on Facebook.

Clark and her husband, Matt Clark, hopped on a plane to California — where they went to get Galena and bring her home.

"Galena’s been ‘my kitty’ for six years — she and I have a very close bond, and it felt incredible to be there for her in her time of need," Clark said to Fox News Digital. 

Clark said her feline friend survived thanks to a side seam that split open in the box — and at the vet, her blood work came back completely normal.

"We can’t thank Brandy [Hunter] enough for rescuing our baby and all the kindness and love that she shares to everyone," she continued.

As for how Galena got into the Amazon return package to begin with, Clark told Fox News Digital that her husband had ordered six pairs of "try before you buy" steel-toed work boots.

After keeping one pair and returning the other five, he walked away to grab tape and scissors to close up his 3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft. box — which is when Galena must have hopped inside it.

"Most likely, she opened the flap, and it came down behind her," Clark assumed.

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She continued, "Galena loves to hide, hunt and play in boxes — and this was a very large box!"

Clark said the box was already huge and heavy, adding that a 10-pound cat didn’t raise any red flags.

"Galena’s a part of our family, and we’re so grateful to have more time with her," she said.